Sask. Premier asks for ideas to curb drunk driving

Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall is calling on his ministers to come up with suggestions for tackling the province’s high drinking and driving rates when the legislature reconvenes next month.

In a Facebook post Saturday morning, Wall said although his government has strengthened penalties for drinking and driving with longer licence suspensions and vehicle seizures among other measures, the problem in Saskatchewan persists.

He said he has asked the Minister of Justice and the Minister of SGI to consider further action. He said the government will also look at implementing programs similar to those in British Columbia and Alberta.

The premier’s comments come after Mothers Against Drunk Driving urged the province toughen penalties to stop what the group calls a “pervasive culture” of impaired driving.

Wendell Waldron, a community leader with MADD in Regina, said Thursday that police need more resources to tackle the problem, adding that officers should do more sobriety checks because “the fear of being caught” can stop people who have been drinking from getting behind the wheel.

Also last week, former deputy premier Don McMorris was fined and lost his licence for a year after he was caught driving with 2 1/2 times the legal amount of alcohol in his bloodstream.